The province is set to benefit in the coming months from a boost of 82 new national police officers following changes to the job catalog. According to Jupol, new postings are being created at different police stations as part of a broader staffing plan. The National Police union expresses particular satisfaction with the changes, especially noting the increase of 29 positions at the Alicante-Elche airport border post, where staff shortages have been a concern for four years. Reports and petitions had repeatedly highlighted the need for additional agents at this location.
Jupol explains that the police force in Alicante province will grow from 2,322 to 2,404 agents. The catalog adds 82 new positions, including a redistribution of duties by eliminating 642 posts in Catalonia and adding 29 at the Alicante-Elche airport. The airport will now have 106 posts, up from 77, marking the largest percentage increase at 37.66 percent within the new catalogue. This adjustment aims to relieve the workload faced by air traffic officers and improve operational efficiency at the terminal. The shortage of officers at the airport has been linked to longer passenger queues and delays in document verification, underscoring the impact of staffing on daily operations.
police station
Orihuela police station and the Torrevieja offices are the only units in the province that continue to be understaffed, maintaining 125 and 6 positions respectively. Across the rest of the catalogue, the airport expansion is part of a broader increase for Alicante, raising total staff numbers from 998 to 1,029, a gain of 31 officers. In Elche, the number of posts will rise to 391 with seven additional positions; in Elda-Petrer outpost, eight more representatives will bring the total from 151 to 159; Alcoy will see a modest increase adding one post; Benidorm will grow to 365 officers; and Denia will move from 121 to 123, adding two more officers to that unit.
Following the approval of the new catalogue, police headquarters plan to convene a general merit competition in February or March to determine transfers across the country. In this process, the newly created positions are expected to be filled first, with any remaining vacancies offered to existing officers seeking internal transfers. Jupol notes that it is typical for almost all positions to be allocated before the next summer, given that the current catalog will be superseded by the new allocation framework.
In addition to the 642 positions redistributed from Catalonia, Jupol confirms that another 1,500 posts are anticipated to be added before summer. These roles will be announced through the 2024 overall recruitment effort, with those not immediately filled remaining available for subsequent intake and internal reassignments. The broader message from the union stresses that the changes are a meaningful step toward easing regional staffing pressures and improving service levels at critical points of contact for the public, including airports and urban police stations. Attribution: Jupol (national police union) reporting on the new job catalog and staffing adjustments.